1.11 Flood Recovery Supplies and Work

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This section is focused on flood recovery for homes and other buildings, but can be useful for other disasters. These instructions were compiled by NEK Organizing, which has mucked and gutted hundreds of homes in the Kingdom.

Managing flood site and survivor information

Vermont will tell people to call 211 to report flood damage. While this is helpful and important to have state data, relief organizations then have to comb through all 211 calls to find flood survivor data. This can be incredibly time consuming, and is a good place for volunteers that cannot do physical labor.
Create a that includes information about the site, the contact information for the survivors, and any other important information going forward into the recovery phase (damage to water, sewer, foundation, etc).

Managing flood recovery supplies

Store supplies—for relief, response, recovery—in a place that is dry, flood safe, and accessible by many people. If possible, utilize a lock with a code if possible and have more than one location per town.
A cache of pumps, safety equipment, and demolition tools stocked and pre-packed so they’re ready for the four types of work that immediately follow flooding: pumping, mucking, gutting, and mold remediation.

Systems	Stuff
Pumping Pumping is the process of removing water from the home via sump, trash, and transfer pumps.
If there is a sheen to the water, note that oil and/or petroleum may be present. Contact your state’s Department of Environmental Conservation before pumping to prevent further, more costly damage to the home. NOTE: Be aware that pumping a basement before water outside has receded may compromise the foundation due to pressure from outside.	Sump Pump Kit: Sump pumps are good for removing clean water and are often the first tool to grab post-flood. Other helpful pumps to have on hand
Mucking Mucking is the process of shoveling, raking, squeegeeing, and hauling mud, silt, and wet belongings out of the home.
Notes for team leaders	Work Tote: 20-gallon, heavy duty plastic tote filled with safety equipment for 5 people mucking and/or gutting a home. Work totes go out on every job, with every crew, no matter what. Work Tote pack list Other Muck Tools (not stored in tote)
Gutting House Gutting is the process of removing sheetrock, insulation and water-logged permeable materials in order to expose joists, studs, subfloor, etc. Gutting allows a home to dry out.
YOU CANNOT DRY A HOME USING DEHUMIDIFIERS ALONE. Even though gutting is another painful step amidst profound loss, it is absolutely necessary in order to prevent mold. Notes for team leaders	Gut Kit: 5-gallon bucket filled with demolition equipment for a 5-person crew, useful when mucking is done and there is no longer water inundating the space. Gut Kit pack list (for gutting flooded buildings in addition to the Work Tote) Other Gut Tools (not stored in tote)
Mold remediation Mold remediation happens once wet debris, walls, flooring, and insulation are removed.
	Mold Remediation Tools

Systems

Stuff

Pumping

Pumping is the process of removing water from the home via sump, trash, and transfer pumps.

If there is a sheen to the water, note that oil and/or petroleum may be present. Contact your state’s Department of Environmental Conservation before pumping to prevent further, more costly damage to the home.

NOTE: Be aware that pumping a basement before water outside has receded may compromise the foundation due to pressure from outside.

Sump Pump Kit: Sump pumps are good for removing clean water and are often the first tool to grab post-flood.

Other helpful pumps to have on hand

Mucking

Mucking is the process of shoveling, raking, squeegeeing, and hauling mud, silt, and wet belongings out of the home.

Notes for team leaders

Work Tote: 20-gallon, heavy duty plastic tote filled with safety equipment for 5 people mucking and/or gutting a home. Work totes go out on every job, with every crew, no matter what.

Work Tote pack list

Other Muck Tools (not stored in tote)

Gutting

House Gutting is the process of removing sheetrock, insulation and water-logged permeable materials in order to expose joists, studs, subfloor, etc. Gutting allows a home to dry out.

YOU CANNOT DRY A HOME USING DEHUMIDIFIERS ALONE. Even though gutting is another painful step amidst profound loss, it is absolutely necessary in order to prevent mold.

Notes for team leaders

Gut Kit: 5-gallon bucket filled with demolition equipment for a 5-person crew, useful when mucking is done and there is no longer water inundating the space.

Gut Kit pack list (for gutting flooded buildings in addition to the Work Tote)

Other Gut Tools (not stored in tote)

Mold remediation

Mold remediation happens once wet debris, walls, flooring, and insulation are removed.

Mold Remediation Tools